CHAPTER TWO:
LOGICAL FALLACY
The Identity Disc flew through the air, narrowly passing by the head of a blue fighter lucky enough to duck just in time. The identity disc bounced off of the transparent walls of the battle box and back into the hands of its red owner. The two programs stared each other down, waiting for the next move. The two were locked in a furious deadlock, deaf to the loud cheering of the crowd. The blue fighter tightened his grip on his disc, twisted on his feet, spun, and threw the disc as hard as he could at the opposing enemy. The red program crouched down low, pushed off of the ground, backflipped onto the wall behind him, and kicked off the wall, flipping over the disc and lunging toward the blue fighter. He landed in front of the blue fighter, ducked to avoid the returning disc that the blue fighter caught, and the two swung their discs at each other and met in mid air. The two tried their hardest to push the other back.
"Program," The red one spoke. "Give it up, you are no match to me."
"I'm not a program." The blue armored fighter whispered inaudibly, then he kicked the red program in the stomach, who rolled back onto his feet and leaped back at him. The blue fighter twisted out of the way, and watched the red program roll past him. The blue fighter ran at the red program, who turned to face him, but it was too late. The blue fighter slammed the disc into the red programs helmet. The battle was over. It was time to hear his name announced as the winner.
"Loxan eliminated. The winner is Annex."
Loxan stood up and shook his head. "Annex, you are too strong, program. Despite my hours of training, you have bested me." The program dropped to his knees.
"Umm. It's alright, man." Annex, Sam, scratched the back of his helmet. "You can stand up, I've fought a lot of battles here so I'm pretty experienced."
"You are too humble." The box opened up and a platform appeared that led back to the waiting rooms. Sam walked out of the arena slowly, taking in the noise of the crowd shouting his name. Well, Annex's name. Sam returned to the locker room to rest.
"Win another match, Annex?" Sam turned around right as he reached the door to the locker room. Standing behind him was Quorra. "Why is it that up in the real world, you're so serious, but down here you're messing around on the Battle Grid with your own secret identity?"
"Sometimes it's nice to take a break from the ENCOM drama." Sam sighed. "Dillinger confronted me about my methods again, you know."
"Well, you wanna head out somewhere then? Maybe stop by Flynn's Cafe?"
Sam once again scratched the back of his helmet. "Umm... I've already got plans with a program... Maybe later?"
"Oh." Sam though he saw a faint sign of sadness appear in her solid facial expression. "Well, I'll see you up top then."
Sam watched Quorra walk away as he opened the massive door that lead to his locker room. He walked into the room and took of his helmet. He sighed and massaged his neck. He knew that Quorra would be moody when he returns to the surface.
"I'll take that helmet." Sam turned around and saw Yullie walking toward him. Sam handed her the helmet and she went and placed it on a hook on the wall. "Still on for our date?"
"Of course." Sam said. "I wouldn't forget something that important."
"Where are we going?"
"Flynn's Cafe." Sam said, knowing that anyone who heard his previous conversation with Quorra would think he was a douche for saying this. Truth was, he didn't know anywhere else to go eat where he would enjoy the food.
"Mmm. Sounds good."
"Alright. I'm gonna go get an energy shower, then I'll meet you outside the Stadium." Yullie nodded and walked away as Sam walked towards the end of the locker room, where lay a corner that led to the shower. Sam stepped into the shower. The energy shower didn't make anyone wet, so Sam didn't have to take off his Grid Suit. He turned on the water and felt his body surge with energy, and his body becoming cleaner.
Yullie sipped wine from her translucent wine glass while staring at Sam who was looking off into space. He seemed to be only half there. She sighed and took another sip.
"What are you thinking about, Sam?" She asked.
"Hmm?" Sam turned to face her. "I'm sorry, there's just a lot to take care of in the System."
"That's all?" Yullie asked skeptically. "I saw you talking to Quorra before I came over by you."
"Quorra and I talk all the time, she's my assistant." Yullie was giving Sam a hard look.
"She seemed upset about something."
"What does it matter?" Sam shouted. "I'm here with you now, aren't I?"
Yullie flinched. She sighed and stood up. "Listen, I think I'm going to go back to my pod."
"Wait!" Sam stood up and grabbed her arm as she was turning to leave. "I'm sorry, please don't go."
Yullie sighed and sat back down. "You don't have a handle on what you want yet, do you?"
Sam slouched back into his chair and looked around himself, various programs and users sitting at tables and drinking and eating. Sam looked at his plate of food at the table and realized that he hadn't even touched it yet.
"What do I want?" Sam muttered. "What more do I want? I am known by millions of people across the world. I am the head of ENCOM, the most successful company in the world. What more could I want?"
"How about what you need?" Yullie stared into Sam's eyes. "Someone to share it all with. That person isn't me, Sam."
"Sam Flynn has absolutely no idea what he is doing!" Edward Dillinger Junior slammed his fist onto the black table. "He's going to run ENCOM into the ground if he keeps giving The System out for free!"
Alan Bradley sat calmly at the desk Dillinger just dented. "He's not giving it out for free. People have to buy the lasers."
"Oooh..." Dillinger rolled his eyes. "$400 a machine. What about when everyone has those things? Then they won't have to pay for anything! How much money will we be making then, Alan? I'll answer that! NONE!"
"Calm yourself, Mr. Dillinger." Alan said. "The people are still buying ENCOM video games for consoles. We are still making a ton of money."
"But we could be making SO much more." Dillinger moaned. "Now I'm supposed to participate in some adhocracy to help maintain order in the System? We wouldn't have to maintain so much order if the System wasn't free!"
"These decisions are not yours to make, Edward. Sam will handle them, even if there are repurcussions." Alan said. "If you want to keep your job, I suggest that you get back to work."
Dillinger sighed and looked at his feet. "I'm just thinking of what's best for this company."
"So is Sam."
Dillinger ran his hand through his hair and turned to walk out the door. "Sam Flynn can shove his ideas up his rectal database." He whispered as he left the room.
Dillinger marched slowly walked through the hall towards the elevator at the end. He was angry at Sam Flynn for taking away his future. He was supposed to become CEO of ENCOM. He was supposed to sail this company into the future. Then Flynn arrived. Sam Flynn, who held no interest in ENCOM a year ago, then suddenly appeared with a world changing program. He was praised, he was put to the top, Dillinger was cast aside.
As Dillinger pressed the button in the elevator to reach the fifth floor, he pulled his phone out of his pocket. Dillinger dialed in his father's number. The phone rang, and rang, and rang.
"Hello?" A voice cracked through the receiver.
"Dad," Dillinger said. "I need your help."
"What is it?" There was a loud gulp. Dillinger figured that he was drinking coffee.
"It's Flynn."
"Let me guess, you're actually going to do what I suggested you do from the beginning."
"Yes... Bring me the files..."
